Today in weird and completely random royal news, turns out members of Britain's fanciest family don't—actually can't—wear seatbelts. Which seems somewhat anachronous considering this family is all about protecting themselves, have a fleet of security guards following them around, etc, etc.
So...why don't they buckle up?
British security expert Michael Chandler tells The DailyMail that the royals opt out of seatbelts due to “security considerations.”
"As you might imagine, there's concerns about extracting a principal from a vehicle as quickly as possible," he told the publication, noting that seatbelt-wearing is planned in advance. "It's likely there's a risk-based approach. There'll be a risk assessment, the outcome of which will determine whether or not there needs to be extra precautions. The other element that may be less obvious is the one around convenience. If they're in and out of a vehicle, royals will be less inclined to fit their seatbelt every time they get out of the car. With men for example, a seatbelt can crease shirts and so that might also be a factor."
That said, on trips involving long stretches on high ways, things are different: "They do actually wear seatbelts, probably much more than people realize. On those occasions where they're traveling relatively quickly through London or on motorways - they will certainly wear seatbelts."
As far as legalities go, Chandler says "They're unlikely to be arrested when it was a decision made by someone who's looking after them. In short, the police who provide the protection aren't likely to be challenged by their policing colleagues."
The more you know.
Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm, She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.
